Moving Forward
by Christie Redfield
Summary: Tasked with cleaning out Warrick's locker, Nick takes a moment to reflect. Nick/Cath Friendship. SPOILERS: SEASON 9.


Disclaimer: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is © Anthony E. Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn & Ann Donahue the show's creators and CBS. No copyright infringement is intended whatsoever nor is any profit being made from this fanfic; i.e. it is purely non-profit.

Claimer: Bout the only thing I own is this story, nothing else.

Spoilers: Season 9.

Feedback: Read and cherished.

Category: Friendship/Angst

Rating: T

Author's Notes: This was sitting around on my hard drive for awhile, I never did finish it up completely so finally decided to get around to polishing it off.

Moving Forward

By: Christie Redfield

Nearly two weeks have passed now, but it feels just like the day before yesterday, the day before it all fell apart and the reality of Warrick Brown's death came thundering down upon the Las Vegas Crimelab and her occupants. The pain itself was raw and fresh like a newly acquired paper cut that refused to stop stinging. As blistering and crushing the pain was the Graveyard shift pushed onwards knowing they had jobs to do, no matter how hard that would now be with the death of a comrade weighing down their shoulders.

Nick Stokes walked solemnly through the halls of the crime lab, two slabs of cardboard tucked under one arm. He wore faded blue jeans and a black long-sleeved button up shirt with the top two buttons undone, beneath this he wore a white cotton t-shirt. A pair battered and beaten up Nikes adorned his feet completing the look.

The Texan heaved a heavy sigh as he stepped inside the locker-room. It felt like only yesterday when he could recall himself and Warrick placing bets over who would make CSI Level Three first. He lowered the cardboard slabs onto the bench forming them into the shapes of a cardboard box.

Grissom couldn't bring himself to do it and he had sent Nick to the task of ultimately cleaning out Warrick's locker. Nobody wanted to do it, not Grissom and definitely not Catherine. Idly Nick wondered about his friend, she had been hit the hardest emotionally. Her relationship with Warrick was something of profound closeness that went beyond that of friendship. He couldn't quite explain it, but the two seemed to understand each other in a way that went beyond words. Nick knew she had always considered herself one of the boys when she was around the two of them but there was no denying that something had existed there between her and Warrick.

Stepping in front of Warrick's locker Nick spun the combination on the lock and opened the locker door. Way in back of the locker were a couple of shirts and pants dangling from the hooks. Nick was willing to bet they were what the CSI jokingly referred to as evening wear. Off the top of his head Nick could count countless numbers of times that they had all once been on dumpster diving excursions, having to quite literally sift through mounds of trash and god only knows what else searching for evidence.

Despite himself he couldn't but manage a small smile at the time Greg Sanders was handed the unlucky task of having to do just that behind an Italian restaurant attempting to differentiate between marinara sauce and blood. Love them or hate them, he had to admit the mob had a cruel sense of humor about themselves when it came to organized hits. Even still…Nick couldn't help but wonder if Gedda had or had not been involved if it would have all come down to this. Perhaps it was McKeen himself that they had dirt on? Or McKeen on the Las Vegas mob itself?

Shifting his attention back to the task at hand Nick removed the clothing and placed them into the box folding them neatly. Reaching into the top shelf his hands closed around a plastic shopping bag. He shook his head as he opened the bag. Within the bag was a bottle of aftershave and a bottle of Axe body wash. To anyone else they were just mundane household items, but to Nick…it was the sheer fact that they were brand new, the price stickers were still attached and judging from the receipt, only just recently purchased. Warrick had never used them, yet here they were sitting in his locker just waiting to be put to usage.

Carefully Nick placed the bag and its contents inside the box and reached back inside the locker retrieving a pair of PS3 videogames. He instantly recognized the one game as one he had given to Warrick as a Christmas gift late last year. Sadly he shook his head as he opened the case, his eyes falling upon the card he had placed with the gift along with a gift card for a local gaming retailer.

He barely acknowledged the sound of approaching footfalls in the locker room and nearly leapt out of his skin when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Hey Nicky, sorry I startled you, I couldn't help but notice you were in here all by yourself and I had to come see what was wrong." Catherine remarked rubbing his back.

Nick nodded somberly and mumbled an apology. "S'okay, I was just well…yeah."

He lamely gestured to Warrick's locker with the games he still held. Catherine didn't need to hear anything more from Nick than to read the expression on his face. Sadly she nodded. "It had to be done sooner or later, as much as we'd probably all like to have kept his stuff in there and his nametag on the door."

She looked towards the doorway leading into the locker room and sighed sadly. "Just hoping that Warrick would come walking right back through here like nothing happened." Nick remarked. Catherine sniffed sitting down on the bench as did Nick who set the games down on the bench beside him.

"God I still can't believe it, that, that he's gone ya know?" Catherine remarked out loud wiping at her eyes. Nick ducked his head sadly and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Me too, Cath, me too." He shook his head angrily and stood punching the locker door electing a loud clanging noise from the metal as his fist made contact.

"Nicky?" Catherine watched her friend worriedly as his body slowly shook from emotion, and he banged on the locker door again this time not as hard.

"It just feels like we could have done something, like I could have done something Cath, dammit why didn't we see this coming sooner, with this whole business with him and Gedda? You and I both know he was falling apart and then, then this all happens." Sighing heavily Nick rested his head against the locker door, tears creeping down his cheeks.

Catherine stood on her feet and wrapped her arms around Nick's waist resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm in the same boat as you Nicky, the very same. I'm still kicking myself for not seeing the signs sooner, about Warrick about McKeen…"

Shuddering, Nick turned and embraced Catherine burying his face into her shoulder. She smoothed down his hair as his body shook with sobs and held him tight, knowing full well that right now he needed this more than anything and so she stood there just taking it all in. He had lost more than just friend; Warrick and Nick were inseparable, like brothers.

Several long moments passed before Nick lifted his head and looked at Catherine his eyes red rimmed from tears, her expression mirrored his own. She handed him a tissue but Nick politely refused and sat down quietly on the bench as he rubbed at his eyes.

"It just feels like I could have done more you know? To prevent…" He gestured lamely with his hands, "this."

He shook his head looking back up at his friend. "Jesus Cath, he was my best friend and even I couldn't read him, God, why didn't I see the signs sooner that something was wrong when he was taking that medication cocktail of sleeping pills? He's like, was like one of those rare few that just lived for the night life you know? He may have worked graveyard just like the rest of us but me of all people knew he much he loved to have a good time but, all in all he never let it get to his work."

For once Catherine Willows could offer no reply and she just shook her head sadly as she and Nick sat there for several moments in the locker room staring blankly at Warrick's locker. She placed a hand on his shoulder pulling him from his reverie. "C'mon Nicky, lets finish up here and get some breakfast. It's been a long night, for both of us." She stated softly as she gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Reluctantly Nick stood up and closed the door to the locker as Catherine sealed up the box and lifted it under her arm before she stood up. The pair looked at one another in silence not certain of what more could be said and simply nodded at each other before they exited the locker room, their thoughts lingering on that of their friend. They had to push on, not just for their own sake, but for Warrick's sake.


End file.
